Your ma's sick abed--she ain't ever been peart since the night your pa's house was fired and they had to walk in--but that ain't the reason they wa'n't throwed out.

They put out others sicker.
They flung families where every one was sick out into that slough.

I guess what's left of 'em wouldn't be a supper-spell for a bunch of long-billed mosquitoes.

But one of them milishy captains was certainly partial to your folks for some reason.

They was let to stay in Phin Daggin's house till you come." "And Prudence--the Corsons--Miss Prudence Corson ?" "Oh, ho! So she's the one, is she?
Now that reminds me, mebbe I can guess the cute of that captain's partiality.